Functional Foods, Nutraceuticals and Degenerative Disease Prevention is a compilation of different segments of functional foods and nutraceuticals focusing on their mechanism of action in the human body leading to disease prevention. Numerous chapters deal with different functional foods in terms of their efficacy, highlighting the mechanism of action of their ingredients. The book focuses on the biochemistry and molecular biology of the disease prevention process rather than simply compiling the benefits of functional foods and nutraceuticals. Aimed primarily at an audience comprised of researchers, industry professionals, food scientists, medical professionals and graduate level students, Functional Foods, Nutraceuticals and Degenerative Disease Prevention offers a mechanism-based interpretation for the effect of nutraceuticals within the human body. Ultimately, the discussion of the biological effects of a variety of functional foods will provide a wholesome approach to the maintenance of health through judicious choice of functional foods.

While disease is inevitable in humankind, the current century has been burdened with many chronic diseases, most of which are lifestyle mediated and, which in part can be controlled by consuming foods with specific functions. Functional foods are a special category of natural food or nutrient-derived pharmaceutical products containing beneficial biochemicals and phytochemicals beyond their basic nutritional functions. The first of two volumes, Applications of Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals for Chronic Diseases collects information on the association between functional and chronic diseases. The burden of escalating chronic diseases is discussed in the first chapter, and the remaining fourteen chapters summarize the effect of functional foods on a range of chronic diseases. Key Features: Discusses the clinical application of functional foods for the management of a wide range of chronic diseases Covers chronic diseases including Obesity, Arthritis, Cardiovascular Diseases, and Endocrinal and Hormonal Diseases, among others. Explores beneficial effects of nutraceuticals on chronic diseases Contributors hail from different geographical locations around the world and have many years of research and scholarly experience in functional foods, nutraceuticals, and biology. The world’s leading wellness centers for chronic diseases are using functional foods and nutraceuticals in their practice and discovering their useful applications, and this book is a great reference for practitioners, scientists, and clinicians in the management of chronic diseases.

The publication of this book serves two great purposes. First, it spreads the word about new functional food products for chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, and obesity to the general public. It not only introduces new functional foods, but also shows the investigations and research that led to their creation. Second, the book preserves the numerous ideas and contributions made in the field. This shows the progress and evolution of this thriving field, with the power to change the lives of millions of people. The forever growing field of functional foods brings together research scientists, food manufacturers and consumers who are committed to this issue through modern achievements of surgical approaches and potential of drug therapy, where particular emphasis is placed on the unresolved problems of pharmaceutical side effects.

There has been a global rise in the incidence of chronic illnesses, which may be partially attributed to the lengthening of the average human lifespan. Functional foods and nutraceuticals have a potential role to play in the development and maintenance of health. They can assist the body in its battle against inflammation and chronic illnesses. Molecular Mechanisms of Action of Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals for Chronic Diseases addresses the effects and mechanism of functional foods in relation to chronic diseases such as obesity, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer, etc. This volume, like the first volume Applications of Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals for Chronic Diseases, inspires new thought processes and a paradigm shift in research and development. Key Features: Discusses the molecular mechanism of action, the range of toxicities exerted by these food components for functional foods for addressing chronic conditions Enhances scientists and industrial personnel knowledge of functional foods and in the management of chronic diseases Presents research on the role of functional foods/nutraceuticals in preventing and treating chronic diseases through epigenetic modulation Explores various subjects such as epigenetics, immunological, metabolic, technological and neurodenerative aspects affected by functional foods in chronic diseases The world’s leading wellness centers for chronic diseases are using functional foods and nutraceuticals in their practice and discovering their useful applications, and this second of two volume set is another great reference for practitioners, scientists, and clinicians in the management of chronic diseases. Contributors hail from different geographical locations around the world and have many years of research and scholarly experience in functional foods, nutraceuticals, and biology.

The Functional Food Center has successfully held 26 International Conferences, including this one, since 2004. We take special interest in enabling the assimilation of scientific knowledge at our conferences under the series "Functional Foods and Chronic Diseases: Science and Practice." The 26th International Conference was held May 9th throguh May 10th, in San Diego, CA, USA. This conference was titled "Functional Foods, Bioactive Compounds and Nutraceuticals in Health and Disease."Main conference sessions include: *Dietary Nitrite and Nitrate*Vitamins, Nutrients and Nutritional Supplements in Cardiovascular Health and Dysfunction*Functional Foods and Aging: Metabolic Syndrome, Diabetes, and other Related Disorders*Metabolic Syndrome and Gut Microbiome*Functional Foods and Chronic Diseases*Food Bioactive Compounds, Biomarkers, and Functional Foods: Promising Concept for Chronic Disease and Healthy Aging*Plant and Animal Origin Bioactive Ingredients*Current Research and Development of New Functional Food Products Presented in this book are scientists, food manufacturers, and healthcare professionals who are committed to functional food research. They have brought together ideas and research to treat chronic illnesses and improve the quality of life through the utilization of functional foods with bioactive compounds.Danik Martirosyan, PhD, President of Functional Food Center, Functional Food Institute, Dallas, TX, USA

The 12th International Conference "Functional Food Ingredients and Nutraceuticals in Chronic Disease: Science and Practice” at Southwestern Methodist University in Dallas, TX was held with great success on November 2012. This conference reviewed functional food components for the prevention and management of chronic chronic diseases. The forever growing field of functional foods for chronic diseases brings together research scientists, medical doctors, food manufacturers and consumers who are committed to the present day major health issues to discuss the contribution of functional food compounds and functional foods in the prevention and management of Diabetes, Obesity, Cardiovascular Disorders, Cancer and other diseases. This Conference not only introduces new functional foods, but also shows the investigations and research that led to their creation with modern approaches in the prevention and management of chronic diseases by using innovations of herbal remedies, food additives and non-traditional plants as functional foods. The book showcases the numerous ideas and contributions made in the field of functional foods and chronic diseases, demonstrating the current progress and evolution that will undoubtedly change the lives of millions of people.

Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods is a component of Encyclopedia of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Engineering and Technology Resources in the global Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS), which is an integrated compendium of twenty one Encyclopedias. The present series on “Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods” focuses on the health-promoting properties of fruits and their active components involved in the prevention of chronic diseases. A world-class group of academic researchers and scientists wrote these chapters to provide state-of-the-art reviews. The nine chapters in this book provide an integrated picture of the health beneficial properties of functional foods. Chapters 1-3 address the health benefits of commonly consumed beverages such as tea, coffee, and fruit juices. Chapters 4-8 deal with the nutraceutical properties of major and highly consumed fruits, including pomegranates, citrus, grapes, kiwifruits, annona, and berries. In addition, these chapters discuss consumer interest in naturally colored foods with regard to absorption, metabolism, and antioxidant capacity, followed by the causes of inflammatory diseases and diabetes, as well as various biological activities that can overcome these health concerns. Chapter 9 presents the heart health benefits of plant sterols, these compounds found naturally in whole grains, nuts, oil seeds and legumes as well as fruits, and are structurally similar to cholesterol and can reduce total and LDL cholesterol levels in humans. Thus, this series comprehensively describes the basic information that will be useful for scientists, researchers, teachers, and consumers. This volume is aimed at the following major target audiences: University and College Students, Educators, Professional Practitioners, and Research Personnel.